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Speak up!
- send in your
comments
by
June 20 Deadline.
Kitsap County is deciding rural land use policy - whether the open space of our countryside will
retain its rural character
or
be
filled in by endless subdivisions
like everywhere else.
A
public hearing
will be held on
Monday, June 23, 10 am
and
you are invited to speak comment
(2-min limit) at that time.
In Person: K.C Administration Bldg, 619 Division Street, Port Orchard, WA 98366
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Support the Commissioners’ decision to protect rural land from subdivision.
HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO – COMMENT ON:
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We need to balance growth with preservation - we are currently
over-allocated on housing in rural areas at 29% (maximum is 24%, target is 17%) - we
do not need more
. Increasing further will conflict with our Comprehensive Plan, the Growth Management Act (GMA), and the Puget Sound Regional Council Plan.
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Maintain the vision and direction of the 2024 Comp Plan in preserving our open space by encouraging housing in more urban areas (UGAs) where infrastructure can support it. WSDOT is not funding more roads until
after
2030.
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Provide opportunities for future generations to make decisions. Don’t carve up the land any further at this point when it is not in the overall public interest. We have needs beyond housing, and we have met or surpassed single-family housing targets.
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Protecting Rural Wooded zoning helps support sustainable agriculture. Protecting the right to farm is also essential to supporting our local agriculture.
Background:
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The
Year of the Rural
(YOTR) is the land use policy section of the Comprehensive Plan. Beyond zoning reclassifications, YOTR includes public workshops on
June 24, 25 & 26
.
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The Kitsap County Department of Community Development evaluated and found that the cumulative effect of residential rezone requests
conflicted with the county’s rural growth targets and Comprehensive Plan policies to direct growth to urban areas
, and therefore recommended the removal of rural residential rezones.
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On June 9 the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners
tentatively decided to
not approve
the 14 requests for rezoning that create greater residential density in rural areas. They are having a hearing June 23 @ 10 am to hear from the public about this choice.
This includes the 400+ acre parcel group adjacent to the Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park in North Kitsap.
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The Commissioners have decided to continue to consider the commercial rezone requests and will make a decision later in the year about them.
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The Commissioners will accept
written comments received by June 20, 10 am
.
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On
June 23, 10 am, the Commissioners will hear public testimony regarding rezone requests
. They will then decide whether to affirm their tentative decision on residential rezoning.
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Pressure to reconsider rezoning
is expected, it is therefore
crucial to let all three commissioners know that there is strong public support to preserve our rural character , and to abide by their June 9 decision, the Comprehensive Plan, and the GMA.
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That decision was split - Rolfes and Walters in favor, Root (southern district) dissented.
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87%
of respondents believe maintaining Kitsap County’s
rural look and feel is important.
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82%
support policies to
protect rural open spaces
, agricultural land, and scenic areas. -There is strong consensus that preserving the county’s rural identity should guide planning decisions.
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Only
27%
of respondents support allowing more housing in rural zones.
ATTEND AND SPEAK UP AT THE PUBLIC HEARING
(
JUNE 23, 10 AM
,
2-MINUTE LIMIT):
In Person: K.C Administration Bldg, 619 Division Street, Port Orchard, WA 98366
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